At the age of three, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Which in short, is an auto-immune (incurable) disease that makes it so I cannot digest gluten. For reference, gluten is anything containing wheat, barley, rye or any other related grains. Throughout these 14 years of my life where I haven’t consumed gluten, I have grown to crave foods that I cannot indulge.

On top of that, at the age of seven, I developed an allergy to dairy. So now, with these combined limitations, there are so many foods I would like to try, but will have to stick to writing about them.

Although there are so many gluten-free options these days, and I have never been deprived of good food, sometimes you just want the authentic, real thing. The hardest part about these restrictions is that whenever I go out with my friends, there is always food involved. Fast food to be more specific.

And you know what, there are no allergy-friendly fast food restaurants. My friends always offer me “the first sniff,” rather than “the first bite.” It is looking like I will have to depend on my sense of smell to satisfy my cravings.

Just for the record, these are in no particular order.

10. Dairy Queen Sprinkle Cone
I am a walking contradiction. I work at Dairy Queen. I know, I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true.

My boss loves me because she knows I won’t eat on the job, but that doesn’t mean I don’t find myself fantasizing about the menu items. Especially the sprinkle cone. I love sprinkles.

I mean who doesn’t love rainbow-colored sugar? The thought of them coating soft-serve ice cream, and in a crunchy cone is a dream. Or should I say an ice-dream.

During those long, five hour shifts, sometimes I contemplate the consequences that would come if I just had one tiny bite.

9. Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme
This one is more for the experience, and just to say I’ve had it. To be honest, it looks good, but I know it’s going to hurt your stomach whether you’re allergic to it or not. I do love the tacos my parents make at home, and all the fix-ins that go with it, but it seems like a luxury to have a huge, strong flour tortilla rather than a small, flimsy corn tortilla like I heat up in my oven.

8. Crumbl Cookie
Now this one is one I would try just once. The amount of sugar and calories in one singular cookie gives me a stomach ache just thinking about it. But just for a moment, I want to feel the joy of looking forward to the cookies of the week dropping, and using the little cookie splitter to split them with my friends.

All the fun flavor combos seem riveting and being excited for the new lineup of cookies seems indescribably fun.

7. Movie Theater Popcorn
I haven’t watched a movie in the theater with salty, buttery popcorn since Minions came out in 2015, and I don’t even remember it. I feel like you can’t have an authentic experience without the popcorn. Therefore I tend to avoid the theaters, and watch movies on my couch with the coconut oil popcorn I make on my stove.

Although I do enjoy my at-home movie nights, it would be nice to experience the classic movie theater experience once again.

6. Texas Roadhouse Bread and Butter
A few months ago, I went to Texas Roadhouse with some of my friends, and one of them bit into a steamy, buttery roll and said, “You need to add this to your list,” referring to the running list of foods I would try on my deathbed. That comment itself made me realize that I was missing out. I know my friends would not lead me astray and they will keep it real with me if some foods are just not worth trying, so wouldn’t they do the same with foods worth my time?

5. Deep Dish Pizza
My dad’s favorite food is deep dish pizza, and he constantly reminded me how it had to make the list. I guess it is a Chicago staple, and growing up in the suburbs outside of Chicago, it feels illegal to have never tried it. I feel like this is one of the foods that just cannot be recreated to be allergy friendly and authentic, so this is definitely an important one to try.

My dad especially recommends the one from Giordano’s.

4. Girl Scout Cookies
Oh my gosh. When it comes to the time when all the little girls around us are selling cookies, I find myself dreaming of Samoas and Thin Mints especially. I used to be a girl scout myself, but could never enjoy the cookies.

Being able to try these cookies just once would heal my inner child.

3. Chicken Caesar Salad
My friends and I go to a different Italian restaurant for each of our birthdays, and I always end up with a grilled chicken salad loaded with vegetables. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my vegetables but eating a salad with croutons and a creamy caesar dressing rather than oil and vinegar sounds life changing.

2. Canes Box Combo
The only thing I have had off the Raising Cane’s menu is lemonade, and it was pretty good, so I imagine their food would be the same. The food looks delicious and crispy, but looks can be deceiving so I must try it for myself for experimental purposes of course. Not to mention their infamous Cane’s sauce and Texas Toast that is exclusive to their chain, therefore there is no way for me to recreate it accurately.

1. Portillo’s Chocolate Cake
I love Portillo’s. Their hotdogs are amazing and their fries are like one of the three places I can get fast food fries. I love everything about the restaurant, the atmosphere, the ketchup, and even the uniforms.

Being able to eat their famous chocolate cake would top it all off, and cause Portillo’s to take the cake in my book.

So, there you have it, the top 10 foods I would eat as a person who is allergic to gluten and dairy. Please let me know if any of the foods I included are not worth my time, or if I somehow managed to forget some very life-changing snack or meal.